CANTON — Tuesday’s Cherokee County Board of Commissioners meeting will open with a public hearing regarding the county’s animal ordinance.

The county is considering amending the portion of the county code pertaining to the regulation of dangerous and vicious dogs to conform to changes in state law.

“The state has changed some of the terminology,” County Commission Chairman Buzz Ahrens said.

The only changes anticipated for the local ordinance are language-related.

“Basically the marshal has the call on determining whether or not an animal is dangerous or potentially dangerous, whatever the language may be,” Ahrens said.

In other business, the commission is expected to:

* Consider approving two zoning cases, both of which have been recommended for approval by the county’s planning commission;

* Discuss the Association of County Commissioners of Georgia-endorsed Coast2Coast Discount Prescription Card;

* Consider approval of execution for quit claim deed for right-of-way in conjunction of Cochran Lane by the City of Canton;

* Consider authorization of a budget amendment to accept grant funds in the amount of $2,598 for the purchase of bulletproof vests for Sheriff’s Office personnel from the Bureau of Justice Assistance;

* Consider authorization of a budget amendment in the amount of $52,900 to move personnel costs associated with a Sheriff’s Office deputy position from the Crime and Investigation Division to the Internal Affairs Division (no net budgetary change);

* Consider awarding a professional services agreement to EMS Technology Solutions LLC in the amount of $11,220 for the first year of an inventory management system, including implementation and 30 licenses;

* Consider acceptance of a state grant from the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council for the operational funding of DUI court in the amount of $12,395;

* Consider approving a $70,000 donation from the Clayton Volunteer Fire Department and the contribution of an additional $8,000 in SPLOST funds for the acquisition of a 2012 fire truck chassis;

* Consider approval to issue a letter of intent to terminate contract with Advanced Data Processing for rescue ambulance billing and field data systems;

* Consider approval of a $29,282 design services contract with The Barnhardt Group, LLC, for the preparation of a pavement management and distress evaluation for Towne Lake Parkway;

* Consider approval of a $39,850 proposal from Martin-Robbins Fence Company Inc., for the installation of guardrail along portions of Shoal Creek Road;

* Consider an intergovernmental agreement between the county and the city of Woodstock Downtown Development Authority for the use of the CATS trolley during December 2012;

* Consider approval of a contract amendment between the county and the Georgia Department of Human Services for a $47,690 increase in funding to the CATS demand response service;

* Consider a contract with Enterprise Holdings for the operation, management and marketing of the CATS vanpool program;

* Consider a revision to the definition of “local recreation provider” under the Cherokee Recreation and Parks Agency’s athletic field use policy;

* Consider approving a lease agreement to use Cherokee Charter Academy’s gymnasium for Cherokee youth basketball practices and games; and

* Consider an agreement with the city of Ball Ground for reimbursement in the amount of $35,000 for the city’s acquisition of school gym and payment for landscaping and stream bank mitigation, all to be funded from the park bond.

As the owner of two dogs who are called "pit bulls" (their breed name is American Bully) and one German Shepherd, I am appalled at the opinion held by so many people that a dog is "dangerous" or "vicious" based solely on breed or appearance. We need stiffer penalties for the unethical human beings who treat animals badly and teach them bad behavior. Judge each dog based on the individual dog, not on preconceived notions inflamed by the media. I hope this change in the "verbage" of our animal ordinance will avoid penalizing family pets and responsible dog owners.

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